The police reveal the background of Jere Karalahti’s suspected drug ring

Helsinki the police have completed the preliminary investigation of a large crime ring in which drugs were distributed and received in the Uusimaa region.

According to the information of IS and HS, it is the same group where the ex-hockey player Jere Karalahti50, is still a suspect and in custody. Karalahti was captured on October 2. He is suspected of a serious drug crime that took place in Helsinki from June 1 to September 29 this year.

The ex-hockey player has denied that he committed the crime.

According to the police, there are 19 suspects in total, of which 14 are suspected of serious drug crimes. In addition, three are suspected of involvement in the robbery.

The group came under the scrutiny of the police during the late summer and autumn.

The police according to Vyyt, the most important crimes took place between May and September.

“Based on the preliminary investigation, the main suspects arranged for the group to take possession of a batch of tens of kilos of amphetamine, which was received in the Mäntsälä area and delivered from there to Helsinki. In addition, the group is suspected of acquiring and distributing several kilos of cocaine, says the head of the investigation,” the crime commissioner Markku Juurikkamäki in the bulletin.

During the preliminary investigation, the police seized a total of approximately 15 kilograms of amphetamine.

At the end of summer the police received tips about people who were suspected of playing a significant role in drug trafficking.

At the end of August, the police seized several kilograms of amphetamine from one suspect. The amphetamine in question came from a group whose activities had already been investigated.

A few days after the first arrests, the police received an alarm about a robbery in Eastern Helsinki. Two people had threatened the victim with a gun and taken his mobile phone.

“The police caught another suspect on Itäväylä, and about 1.5 kilograms of amphetamine was seized from the vehicle he was using. This batch of amphetamine also came from the same group whose activities were under preliminary investigation. The police connected the arrested robber and his client to this group,” says Juurikkamäki.

Preliminary investigation based on this, the person in charge of the robbery was one of the key people in receiving and distributing the drugs.

The police arrested him shortly after the robbery.

In addition, the police seized approximately 10 kilograms of amphetamine from the apartment that the group used to store drugs.

“The suspected robbery took on somewhat unusual characteristics. The robbers were masked, but the person concerned recognized the other suspect and tried to get the perpetrators to give up their activities. The weapon used in the robbery was a revolver-style ball gun,” investigation director Juurikkamäki says in the press release.

In the preliminary investigation it has emerged that the two suspects were the leaders of the group and were responsible for the drug supply chain.

Several other persons took care of practical activities in transporting, storing and distributing narcotics.

During the investigation, some of the customers who bought drugs were also revealed to the police.

“The case could be characterized as one part of a large complex of organized drug crime. Today, international drug crime is so networked in several countries that it is often most appropriate to carry out the preliminary investigation in parts. With the help of successful preliminary investigations, it is possible to effectively weaken the operating conditions of criminal networks,” says the head of the investigation.

Five suspects are still in custody. The case will move to prosecution on Friday.